Ada Handicapped Restroom Rules

Wheelchair accessibility is just one aspect of ADA handicapped restroom rules

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) includes specific rules covering the design of restrooms for use by the disabled. This is in keeping with its mandate to create an environment of public accessibility for people who have physical challenges, whether involving mobility (wheelchair-bound) or visual impairment.

General ADA Restroom Rules

Title III of the ADA focuses on accessibility requirements for public places. These places are defined as any property that is either a commercial facility or one owned or leased by a private entity for public accommodations, including places that offer educational and occupational certification services. Owners and operators of these properties must provide restroom facilities that offer equal access to everyone, including disabled people. Among the "reasonable modifications" required by the ADA are: providing room for a wheelchair to maneuver, placement of bathroom fixtures and dispensers that can be reached by a person in a wheelchair, and auxiliary aids for those who have visual and hearing impairments. Barriers to restrooms must be removed; this includes installing grab bars in toilet stalls and using Braille or raised lettering on signs.

Wheelchair Rules

ADA rules for wheelchairs in restrooms focus on maneuverability and safety. Toilet stalls (compartment-type) must be 60 inches wide for wall-hung commodes or 59 inches wide for floor-mounted types. Both types must be 56 inches deep. Grab bars must be installed on both the back wall (36 inches long) and one side wall (42 inches long), each with a minimum 1½-inch clearance for hand grasp. Sinks must be at least 27 inches high and eight inches deep underneath for wheelchair accessibility, and all hot water lines must be insulated to prevent burns. If mirrors are available, at least one must be mounted no higher than 40 inches from the floor with 30 to 48 inches minimum of clear floor space for a frontal approach by a wheelchair.

Visually-Impaired Rules

The ADA mandates that information signs in restrooms must always include Braille-2 lettering, with a minimum separation of 3/8 of an inch from all other lettering, borders, and raised elements on a sign. Dot dimensions within the Braille characters must be between 0.025 and 0.032 inches high and have a base diameter of between 0.059 and 0.063 inches.

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